Vincent Wants to Sea

(Corinth)

By Sean Oliver

Lola Award-winning, German adventure comedy Vincent Wants to Sea is an unusually quirky movie that offers a brief edge, and by the end of the final credits has you falling in love with it. Starting off with a rousing but interesting first scene, Vincent to Sea pulls you in because you are not sure if you are going to watch another depressing movie about death with silly comedic coincidences. From the opening scene, you know you are going to watch a surprisingly, interesting movie.

At times, you can’t help laughing, but at the same time, feel a sense of regret and remorse thanks to the amazing acting by Florian David Fitz, who is truly incredible as the reserved but likeable Tourrette’s sufferer Vincent. Fitz also served as the original screenwriter of this offbeat comedy and has crafted quite a unique story.

Director Ralf Huettner pulls no punches after Vincent’s first Tourrette’s-filled outburst at the funeral for his mother who patiently cared for him. The death of Vincent’s mother sends him into a whirlwind. He no longer has his mother who understood his sickness and cared for him. He can no longer depend on anyone but his ego driven politician father, Robert Gellner, played wonderfully by Heino Ferch. His father who has no time or desire to care for his son and decides to send him to an institution. That is where Vincent’s life starts to get clarity as he meets his overzealous therapist Dr. Rose (Katharina Müller-Elmau) who thinks Vincent – due to his tumultuous situation growing up – should have a roommate and hide his illness. However, Vincent’s Tourette’s continues to consume him.

Vincent befriends a hilarious ensemble of people. Most notable is his roommate, Alexander (Johannes Allmayer), who at times steals the film. Allmayer does an incredible job portraying one of the most severe cases of OCD I’ve ever seen on screen. Marie (Karoline Herfurth) is Vincent’s love interest who suffers from anorexia nervosa. Marie and Vincent truly light up the screen, as she makes Vincent lose control of his Tourrette’s but also oddly helps him get a handle on it. Although Marie seems to give Vincent a reason to continue living, he makes her anorexia become increasingly worse. As Vincent and Marie feel that the walls of the institution are closing in, they decide to escape along with Alexander and head out on enjoyable joyride. With different goals at hand, Vincent wants to spread his mother’s ashes in Italy, Marie just wants to get away and Alexander finally gets to be around people.

The group road-trip angers Vincent’s father who just wants to hide his son’s illness. Robert along with the help of Dr. Rose, embark on a hilarious game of cat and mouse with the trio that sends you on a heartfelt rollercoaster. The divide of Robert and Vincent provides for a typical but beautiful father-son reunion.

Though Vincent Wants to Sea follows a somewhat formulaic story of a young man who suffers from a debilitating sickness going on a journey of self-enlightenment, writer Fitz and director Huettner take you on relatively fresh rides with some of the most enjoyable characters I have seen on the screen in quite some time.